Tenn. Lottery Sales Top Half Billion Mark

The Tennessee Education Lottery announced today ticket sales topped the half-billion-dollar mark over the weekend.

Total ticket sales as of midnight Saturday night are at $501,328,659.

Officials said 82 percent of sales have been from instant ticket games, 11 percent from Powerball, and seven percent from Cash 3.

Approximately $266,104,673 has been won in prizes.

Approximately $32,586,363 has been paid in sales commissions to Tennessee retailers.

The Lottery will announce details of a third computerized game later this month, and is due to make its next transfer to the Tennessee Lottery for Education fund on Oct. 15, it was stated.

So far, more than $123 million has been transferred to the account for scholarships, and more than $2 million for after-school programs.

The momentum from our incredible first few days continues and we have so many people to thank for that, said Rebecca Paul, CEO and President of the Tennessee Lottery.

The excitement about the success of our first six months is overshadowed only by the thousands of students who are heading into the school year with scholarships funded through Lottery ticket sales.

The Tennessee Lottery began selling its first instant tickets on Jan. 20, 2004. At the end of its first fiscal year, after five months and 12 days of ticket sales, the Lottery had raised more than $123 million for education. All Tennessee Lottery profits will go to pay for specific education programs in the state, which initially include the HOPE Scholarship program.

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